Electrical registering device



(No Model.)

A. S. HOBBY.

ELECTRICAL REGISTERING DEVICE. No. 371,583. Patented Oct. 18,1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR S. HOBBY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

ELECTRICAL REGISTERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,583, dated Qotoloer18, 1887.

Application filed April 9, 1887. Serial No. 234,291.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, .ARTHUR S. HOBBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at (Jincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Electrical Registering Devices, of which the followingisaspecification.

My invention relates to devices for indicating at a distance, by meansof the electric current, the height of liquid in tanks, pressure ofsteam, &c., in boilers and closed vessels, or other physical changes bywhich initial motion may be produced in suitable mechanism; and itconsists in the mechanism and apparatus hereinafter more fullydescribed, embodying, first, a combination and arrangement ofcircuit-closing devices governed by the initial movement referred to;second, a combination and arrangement of devices controlled by theelectric current upon temporary closing of the circuit to actuate theregistering apparatus; and, lastly, in certain details of combination,construction, and arrangement pertaining to the apparatus as a whole andcertain parts thereof, all as more fully hereinafter set forth, andpointed out in the claims.

A form of mechanism embodying my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are side and endelevations of the register-actuating device, respectively; and Fig. 3, aplan view of the same, showing, also, a diagram of the circuits completeand a diagram elevation of the cireuitclosing devices.

Referring now to the drawings illustrating my invention as applied to atank for indicating the relative height of fluid therein, 1, Fig. 3,designates a float (tank and contents not shown) carried upon thesurface of fluid; 2, a balancing-weight, and 6 a cord or chainconnecting the float and weight and passing over a suitable sheave upona shaft, 3, thereby communicating rotary motion as the height offluidvaries in opposite directions. Upon theshaft 3 and rotated thereby is aspur-pinion, 4, having teeth 5 set at regular intervals upon theperiphery, corresponding with the units of rise orfall ofthe fluid.Pivotally suspended below the spur-pinion 4 is a pendulum, 7, having itsextended upper terminal in the path of the teeth 5, and arranged betweentwo sets of spring-contacts, 8 9 and 10 11, these being arlNo model.)

ranged, as indicated, in pairs, each pair to be brought into contact bythe vibrations of the pendulum and carriedin contact againstcontact-abutments 12 or 13, as the case may be, thus closing threecircuits at each side, as Will be more fully explained later.

The circuit-wires are arranged in groups of three at each side, makingsix in all, indicated by the figures designating the terminal with Oaddedthus 8O 130. In each case the central wire of the groupdesignatesthe return. The entire series may be arranged in and carriedby a single cable properly insulated.

The operation of the pendulous circuit closer 7 is as follows: Beingengaged by one of the teeth 5 moving, for example, from left to right ofthe figure, it first carries the contact 10 against the contact 11, thusclosing a circuit over wires 100 and 1L0. Further movement of thependulum carries the terminals 10 and 11, still in contact, against thecontactabutment 13, thus bringing the wire into circuit with 100 110 asa loop. The opposite rotation of the wheel 4 produces a correspondingsuccession of contacts 8 with 9, closing circuit 80 90 and then loopingin wire 120.

The remaining portion of the apparatus consists of a dial, 14, with oneor a series of indicatingfingers, 15, immediately actuated by the usualgearing,which need not be here described, from a driving-pinion, 16,connected and actuated as follows: The pinion 16 is carried rigidly upona hollow shaft, 17,which terminates at one end in a disk, 18, of softiron, the whole being mounted upon bearings concentrically in relationto a shaft or pivot, 19, suitably supported from a base, 20. The pivotalshaft 19 extends beyond the disk 18, and also carries pivotally aT-crank having a central depending arm, 21, and a horizontal crossarm,22. At the lower terminal of the depending arm 21 is secured anelcctro-magnet or a pair of magnets, 23, which thus vibrate with the armand also serve as a poise or balance-weight to retain the arm 22 in itsnormally-horizontal position. This magnet or pair of magnets presentsits or their poles to the face of the disk 18 near its periphery, and itWill be readily understood that when the magnets are chargedthe diskbecomes an armature and is held against the magnets, and as ICO andthereby communicate motion to the dialfinger. The vibratory movementreferred to is given by two other electro-magnets or sets ofelectro-magnets, 24 25, secured to the base beneath armatures carried bythe terminals, respectively, of the horizontal arm 22. The alternatecharging of these magnets actuates the arm 22 and its connections, asabove indi-.

. cated.

' from post 27 through magnets to line 130,

and from post 28 a wire, 32, to line 90, and a wire, 33, to line 110.

The general operation of the apparatus may now be described and thecircuits traded as follows: Suppose the rotation of wheel 4 to carry theteeth 5 and the upper terminal of the pendulum 7 from right to left ofthe figure. The first effect is to close the contacts 8 9.Thebattery-circuit is then established as fol; lows: From battery 26 toand through post 27, wire 30, magnets 23, wire 31, line 120, contacts 89, line 90, and wire 32 and post 28 to battery. The continued motion ofthe wheel 4 in the same direction then closes the two contacts 8 9against the contact abutment 12, whereby a portion of thebattery-current at post 27 passes over wire 29, the latter portion ofthe current passing through magnets 24 and line 90 and the two portionsreuniting at contact 9. Supposing the motion of wheel 4 to be reversed,the teeth 5 carry the pendulum 7 in the opposite direction, firstclosing contacts 10 11. 'In such case the circuit is from post 27, wire30, magnets 23, part of wire 30 to line 100, through contacts 10 11 andline 110 to wire 33, and thence to post 28 and to battery. The loopingin of line 130 by contacts 10,11, and 13 shunts part of the current frompost 27 over wire 34, magnets 25, and line 130, reuniting at contact 11.

It will be seen that in either movement the contacts close in suchmanner successively as to charge the magnets 23 an appreciable intervalbefore charging the actuating-magnets 24 or 25. This insures the dueengagement of the magnets 23 with the disk 18 before the arm 21 isvibrated, and secures a proper pawl-action.

It will also be observed that the pendulum 7 stands normally independentof the electric contacts, and the adjacent spring-contacts serve asresistingsprings to retain it in its normal central and neutralposition. Moreover,

if in its reaction it should close the two adjacent contacts at eitherside, no registering movement of the apparatus could take place, sincethe effect of charging the magnet 23 without also charging 25 would notaffect the registering-finger. This is important as a means of safety inpreventing false registry.

The pendulum 7 practically acts merely as a push-button, securing anappreciable interval of time between its successive closures of contact.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States- 1. In combination with a toothed wheel rotated inopposite directions by physical changes, such as the rise and fall ofwater, and a registering device operated by electric impulses controlledby such rotation, a circuitcloser actuated by said toothed wheel betweenand against two sets of contact-terminals, to carry at each sidealternately a first contact against a second, thereby establishing a battery-circuit through the holding-pawl of the registering device, andthen to carry the two terminals in contact against a third, therebyestablishing adouble or looped circuit, including the actuating devicesof the register, and releasing said terminals in the oppositesuccession, substantially as set forth.

2. In electrical registering apparatus, in combination with a rotatingdisk of soft iron or similar metal, carrying upon its shaft suitableengaging mechanism for actuating the register, a T-crank vibratingconcentrically with said disk, an electro-magnet carried upon thecentral projecting arm of said T-crank,

presenting the pole to the face of said disk as an armature, and twoother magnets arranged adjacent to the remaining terminals of saidT-crank in actuating relations thereto, and suitably-controlled circuitsarranged to send electric impulses through said magnets-substantially asset forth.

3. In registering apparatus of the character IIO described, embodying apivoted arm, fixed magnets for vibrating the same, and a suspendedmagnet vibrating therewith and actuatinga rotating armature, theline-connections 8O 90 120 and 100 130, in combination with thespring'contacts, arranged as shown, whereby the successive closing ofone set of contacts at' either side first actuates the suspended magnetand afterward the fixed magnet, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. The combination and arrangemento'f the shaft 19, sheave 17, and disk18 with the vibrating arm 21 22. and magnets 23 24 25 and theirelectrical connections, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing'witnesscs.

ARTHUR S. HOBBY. Witnesses:

L. M. HOSEA, G. D. KERR.

